Peter Magyar Officially Becomes New Hungarian PM, Ending Viktor Orban Era

JAKARTA - Peter Magyar officially became the Prime Minister of Hungary after taking the oath on Saturday, marking the end of Viktor Orban's era after ruling Hungary for 16 years.

Magyar took the oath of office before lawmakers after his Tisza Party won a landslide in last month's legislative election, defeating Orban's nationalist-populist Fidesz party.

Tisza's party controls two-thirds of the 199 seats in parliament, allowing it to overturn many of Orban's previous policies.

As reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, May 9, Magyar entered the parliament building with his fellow separatists who now control 141 parliamentary seats. Meanwhile, the number of seats held by the Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by Orban collapsed to 52, with the Mi Hazank Party (Our Homeland Movement) controlling the remaining 6 seats.

President Tamas Sulyok earlier asked Magyar to form a new government after the Tisza Party won a big victory in the election last April, wrote the daily Magyar Nemzet.

Sulyok acknowledged that the Hungarian people had "expressed their will" and entrusted the Tisza Party to govern the country.

All 199 lawmakers and 11 minority group spokesmen submitted their credentials before taking the oath of office.

Magyar said the top priority of his new government is currently fighting corruption and fighting for the release of EU funds that have been frozen due to concerns about corruption and the erosion of the rule of law in Hungary.

"The most important task at the moment is to stop corruption and bring back EU funds," said Magyar.

His government is seen as also restoring relations with the EU after years of tension under Viktor Orban's rule.

In the same parliamentary session, the legislators also elected the new speaker of parliament, with Agnes Forsthoffer, who was nominated by the Tizsa Party, being elected.